Ian’s Newsround – ONE WEEK TO GO News Posted by Ian Symes on 27th September 2012, 13:49 Yes, it’s been nearly three and a half years since Back To Earth and over nine months since that first audience record, and now we can finally say that today is the last Thursday without new Red Dwarf for some considerable time. Let’s have a look at some of the things that have happened over the last couple of days, while we’ve all been distracted by whether or not Chris Barrie is wearing a wig. These include new clips, new interviews, a new podcast and a new way for me to plug something I first told you about months ago. Firstly, the clips. We’ve all seen this one of Kryten drying spoons with his arse, but here it is embedded anyway: Now, some people seem to be deliberately misinterpreting this clip – he’s not shitting on the spoons, or buggering himself with them, and I can’t see how you’d reach that conclusion unless you’d already made your mind up about “this type of humour”. This type of humour, incidentally, has been in Red Dwarf since Polymorph at the very latest, and I for one thought this scene was tremendous. Meanwhile, there’s another couple of clips that have been distributed about the place – Digital Spy has them all embedded. One of them is the “me, him and him” gag from the trailer, but not in the trailer. Hooray! More interesting is a scene which evidently comes earlier on in the same episode, with Lister returning to the ship and being interrogated by Kryten, who guesses what’s gone wrong before Listy gets chance to tell him. It’s a lovely little scene which shows excellent character interaction – Kryten is slightly motherly without the whining patheticness of past series, while Lister is a care-free cheeky chappy once more. The woofer that ends the scene is predictable, but only because, as an audience watching this promotional material, we’re already aware of the plot point it reveals. It’s a classic Dwarfy gag. In other news, there’s a new video interview with Doug over on Sky Video Cuts, whatever that is. Must have been shot on the press day, with Doug struggling to make his points over background hubbub. But one excellent new piece of information is revealed – the sets are made out of Ikea cutlery trays. Bibby would be proud. For other bits of press bobbins, it’s probably best to keep an eye on the forum – there’s far too much stuff for us to keep up with. And no, we’re not going to comment on the Doctor Who crossover thing, as there’s already been far too much attention drawn to what amounts a couple of jokey, throwaway comments. In other other news, Gayspacko Poop have started a podcast! Entitled The Rubbish Podcast, the first episode sees Bollex Poo-Cum and ObjectableSound preview Series X for an hour or so. It’s almost like listening to one of our podcasts, except not as good. Ahaha, but seriously folks, it is very good – Alex is a tremendous host, and in terms of professionalism, it knocks us for six. And finally, here’s something that I know many of you already know about, but that my fellow G&Ters have insisted I put on the front page too, for all those who don’t dip their toes into the forums. This Saturday, I am walking a marathon through London in the middle of the night, for Cancer Research. I’m aiming to raise a thousand pounds in total, and I’m not too far off. I know that many of you have already contributed, and I’m extraordinarily grateful for the generosity. But if you’re seeing this for the first time, please consider chucking me a few quid on my Justgiving page. And remember to use your credit card number.
I’m really impressed that GS managed to get Alan Partridge to host their podcast. Can’t have been cheap. I’d like to hear what Alex thinks about the new series at some point, though. Was he ill?
I’m really impressed that GS managed to get Alan Partridge to host their podcast. Can’t have been cheap. I’d like to hear what Alex thinks about the new series at some point, though. Was he ill? Imagine how it sounded before I took out the 40 minutes of the worst Partridge excesses.
Thanks Digital Spy, for putting a “sponsor message” in front of those clips which is a) As long or longer than the actual clip, and b) Is played EVERY SINGLE TIME, not just the first You fucking twats. Bearing in mind that the Red Dwarf X clips are in effect ads for the show, it also means we have to see an ad… in order to see another ad.
If I donate to your walk, can I talk about Chris’s glorious hair some more? ;-) My comment elsewhere about Kryten and the fart-drying was based on the fact there are a few watchers who want to rip apart the performances in every 30-second preview clip and seem find no joy in them, so I was curious to see how they would react to that one. I don’t know if one can judge a TV series by a few clips (but to be fair, I did decide I’d rather set my eyebrows on fire than read “50 Shades of Grey” from skimming just a few snippets, so I’m probably not one to talk).
I cannot wait til next week. I’m really quite pathetically excited. Also, it’s 25 years ago TODAY since the very first episode of Red Dwarf was recorded. I Tweeted this fact earlier this morning, and it’s been RT’d about a dozen times. I’m impressed. Gonna go watch The End – The Original Assembly later, I think. ;)
Also, it’s 25 years ago TODAY since the very first episode of Red Dwarf was recorded. This is an excellent fact.
Naomi Watts is SOOOO excited, she’s been sat in fron of her tv waiting for the first episode to come on. Thank god someone called her to let her know…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHrod2skYPo
Also, it’s 25 years ago TODAY since the very first episode of Red Dwarf was recorded. I Tweeted this fact earlier this morning, and it’s been RT’d about a dozen times. I’m impressed. Gonna go watch The End – The Original Assembly later, I think. ;) Wow. I was a wee child of fifteen way back then. Did not think it would last this long.
“The Rubbish Podcast”??? How stupid can they be not calling it…. Btw I was thinking more Dave Clifton of Radioshire, than Partridge…;)
Poor Doug looks ill in that Sky video. I imagine he’s had a busy workload over the last few months! Just picking up on something he said though. He said “I said i only want there to be six shows’. He may have just worded it that way by accident, but i wonder if Dave actually wanted more out of him than 6 episodes? I doubt 13 episodes, but maybe a Series 7/8 style 7 or 8 episodes with the same budget?
I read that as Doug re-emphasising the similarities tp the first six series, rather than the latter two.
I read that as Doug re-emphasising the similarities tp the first six series, rather than the latter two. I took it partly as that and partly that he didn’t want to rush, hire outside writers or have to pad out like he did with the 8 episode orders. Either way, I’m sure even the staunchest defenders of series VII (myself included) and VIII (anyone?) would deny that the hit total of those series would be improved by docking a couple of episodes (or in VIII’s case, 7 and a half episodes. Sorry, I’ll let it go. Honestly). Loved Doug’s description of Fathers and Suns too. Sounds like a great concept that they can have a lot of fun with.
No sign of my local PBS station even being nice enough to mention that they might show it in the future, much less at all. Hopefully someone will be kind enough to point a way for those of us who are being shut out by our resident snobbery to see it after it’s broadcast. I can’t see that BBCA is even running it. :((
Hopefully someone will be kind enough to point a way for those of us who are being shut out by our resident snobbery to see it after it’s broadcast. Well they’re going to be available on iTunes 24 hours after each broadcast, so you could maybe try and switch to the U.K. store and try and get them that way?
It would be great if I could afford it at the moment, but alas, I need electricity with which to watch the episodes. I just can’t seem to win. Dammit.
It would be great if I could afford it at the moment, but alas, I need electricity with which to watch the episodes. I just can’t seem to win. Dammit. I may be able to help with affordability but you’d have to email me – it’s my username at Yahoo.
Interview with Doug Naylor. So the last two episodes had to be scrapped (held over for Series XI?) and replaced. This is presumably why ‘Dear Dave’ is a bottle show on existing sets and ‘The Beginning’ is a re-write of an early draft of the movie. Also Kochanski was supposed to be in the last two episodes of the series. I wonder if Doug was actually going to try and end it with Series X by bringing back Kochanski and giving Lister a happy ending but the plans were scuppered by the loss of exterior filming. If ‘The Beginning’ is as good as people who saw it filmed are saying then it’ll be a fortunate happen-stance that those two episodes had to be replaced.
i just hope there are some starbug scenes :) Take note of what he says: basically if this series doesnt win back all the old fans and become a hit then they wont do series XI. I have faith that this will be a great series!
Should have got Hattie – she would have done it even for a few lines. Nice to see her in the background like the old days – after all she was part of the golden era of III-V…. Also Doug goes on about the ratings for instance Series 8, but I recall it had a huge drop off by the end of the run because it was shit for the most part. Worried that Chloe will be back now in series XI :( BRING BACK HATTIE DOUG!
Also Doug goes on about the ratings for instance Series 8, but I recall it had a huge drop off by the end of the run because it was shit for the most part. Back in the Red Part 1 – Thursday/Sunday – 8,050,000 Back in the Red Part 2 – Thursday/Sunday – 7,580,000 Back in the Red Part 3 – Thursday/Sunday – 6,920,000 Cassandra – Thursday/Sunday – 5,950,000 Krytie TV – Thursday/Sunday – 6,760,000 Pete Part 1 – Thursday/Sunday – 6,320,000 Pete Part 2 – Thursday – 4,520,000 Only the Good… – Monday – 4,240,000 All amazing ratings. ‘Only The Good…’ suffers from being moved to Monday and having no in-week repeat. ‘Pete’ Part 2 also has no in week repeat to get it to around 5.5-6m that it would usually have. I think ‘Pete’ Part 2 and ‘Only the Good…’ did have a repeat but it wasn’t within time to be included in the final BARB figure.
Also Doug goes on about the ratings for instance Series 8, but I recall it had a huge drop off by the end of the run because it was shit for the most part. Back in the Red Part 1 – Thursday/Sunday – 8,050,000 Back in the Red Part 2 – Thursday/Sunday – 7,580,000 Back in the Red Part 3 – Thursday/Sunday – 6,920,000 Cassandra – Thursday/Sunday – 5,950,000 Krytie TV – Thursday/Sunday – 6,760,000 Pete Part 1 – Thursday/Sunday – 6,320,000 Pete Part 2 – Thursday – 4,520,000 Only the Good… – Monday – 4,240,000 All amazing ratings. ‘Only The Good…’ suffers from being moved to Monday and having no in-week repeat. ‘Pete’ Part 2 also has no in week repeat to get it to around 5.5-6m that it would usually have. I think ‘Pete’ Part 2 and ‘Only the Good…’ did have a repeat but it wasn’t within time to be included in the final BARB figure. Yeh halfed by the end of the series, it went down episode by episode. Even if it’s still 4million compared to what it started at it’s not good no matter how you try and spin it.
‘Cassandra’ and ‘Pete’ Part 1 would have gotten a similar rating to ‘Pete’ Part 2 if they didn’t have an in week repeat. The Series levelled out at around 4.5m for the Thursday airing and 1.5m for the Sunday airing. And it didn’t go down episode by episode. Look at the figures again. Don’t try and use ratings to justify an opinion. I’ve seen this done many times. A show can be shit and have great ratings. A show can be brilliant and have shit ratings. No correlation and don’t try and make one, just use the facts you have in front of you. And as for the halved by the end comment, well you would look past the fact that the episode had no repeat and aired on a different fucking day. And was 200k above half of 8m. But I guess if the last episode of a show does half the especially inflated opening show it must have done really badly… Back to Earth Episode 1 10/04/2009 21:01 2,357,000 Back to Earth Episode 2 11/04/2009 21:00 1,238,000 Back to Earth Episode 3 12/04/2009 21:00 1,197,000
No it didn’t. Take out the repeat ratings (which I don’t have) from ‘Back in the Red’ Part 1 and then compare. Or find the repeat ratings from ‘Only the Good..’ and include them and then compare. Only compare like with like. You might as well compare the ratings for the Olympic Opening Ceremony with ‘Only the Good..’ and say it only got one sixth the ratings that the Olympic Opening got.
SoundableObject is right – *every* series drops viewers between the first and last episodes. It’s down to a decline in publicity – the first episode will have been trailed for weeks, with a prominent place in the listing magazines. The second episode is trailed for a week, but without being so prominent elsewhere. Subsequent episodes will get a trailer if they’re lucky, but for the vast majority of shows, the broadcaster won’t plug them so much once they pass the half way mark, because they’re concentrating on launching new serieses of other things. It’s a natural decline that doesn’t worry producers or commissioners.
Great interview with Doug there. A lot of things we’d heard before but also a few new nuggets of information. Kochanski was supposed to be in two episodes of X? Does this mean we might see her return as regular cast at some point in XI (if and when that happens)? As much as I love Chloe and think she’s a worthy comedy actress, Doug would have to do some real work to make her inclusion actually worthwhile. Her character would need a lot of work to make her well defined enough and an actual integral part of the team so that some real comedy gold can be mined out of her and so it feels like the Red Dwarf Crew and not Four Guys… and Kockanski.
Very interesting interview, thanks for posting it. Doug’s avoidance of the Kochanki question makes me think we will see her in some form, even if it’s just a flashback or something like that.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a408980/red-dwarf-movie-scenes-appear-in-new-series-says-craig-charles.html Nothing particularly new but thought people would probably want a watch.
